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Information on new grocery store coming “during the next month”
Ned Oliver has the latest word on the grocery store long in the works for the empty lot just north of the traffic circle at 25th Street, Nine Mile Road, and Fairmount Avenue:
Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority officials said last week that they have nearly completed the process of acquiring land at the intersection of North 25th Street and Nine Mile Road for a grocery-anchored development.
“This large assemblage of land by RRHA will now make it feasible to develop this long-awaited grocery store-anchored, mixed-use development at this location by a private development entity,” the authority’s director, T.K. Somanath, said in an email. “More information on proposed plans for the grocery store and neighborhood retail center will be made available to the public during the next month to seek input and zoning approvals from city.”
RRHA has been acquiring lots and clearing structures (also) from the 1300 blocks of 24th and 25th Streets and the adjacent block along Nine Mile since at least 2006.
At a 7th District meeting back in late 2006, a grocery store at 25th and Nine Mile was promised for the near future (“more towards 2 years than 5 or 10”). Mayor Jones reiterated the notion back in 2012. It was reported in 2014 that one interested developer hoped to break ground in 2015.
Folks in the know have been hinting at this market and telling me that we’ll have something to announce “in two weeks” for the past 8 months. Maybe this time it’s true.
John, you and your grocery store store/s click bait…. we watch…. we wait…the tease continues.
The big yellow circle makes more sense with what we were talking about in the Jim’s Grocery thread which only had a pin on one side of 25th.
Watch out. They want to close 25th street to use for their parking lot. Their suburban mindset needs to learn about fitting into an urban setting
And we need to be open to the compromises that would make medium-sized business investment and the jobs and money it can bring possible, profitable and likely in the east end.
It must be a big footprint store if they need both sides of 25th? They could build one the size of Farm Fresh at 25th and Main on the one side of 25th and Fairmount.
The lot looks large enough for a Wegman’s – not an inner-city grocery store. And if it’s truly feasible, why hasn’t a chain snapped up the opportunity long before now? What are the odds that any investors’ returns/profits will be from taxpayer dollars instead of operations? A City that can’t responsibily manage the basics should refrain from considering itself a developer.
I can’t imagine any grocery store investing in that area. Grocery stores under the best of circumstances operate on razor-thin margins. This location would pose insurmountable challenges for even the most well funded, savvy operators let alone a small guy.
Hard to believe Jim Scanlon would even consider it.
If this does come to fruition…it’s likely either the city or Bon Secours (doubtful) is building the facility. That’s the **only** way an operator would locate at this site and why Scanlon floated an interest.
If it were a profitable undertaking, why do you think Walmart, Kroger or Food Lion isn’t already there?
@ Jamie… Wal-Mart, Kroger, and Food Lion on this site? Ypu will probably have to wipe out many more blocks…
@17…all operate small format locations. If it were viable long-term, it would be no problem for any of these to acquire the property necessary to build.
The real point here (in trying to make any economic sense in this move) is this is setting up to be another sweetheart deal with the city whereby the fine taxpayers of Richmond will be building this store (corporate welfare disguised as economic development).
If private investment cannot fund this development, it shouldn’t be built. The most the city should be on the hook for is infrastructure improvements to support the businesses.
#18…Agree on this. Taxpayers, the forgotten demographic – but surely the most important.
and Southern Season couldn’t make it in Libbie Mill…. http://richmondbizsense.com/2016/04/11/breaking-news-southern-season-to-close-richmond-store/
Maybe the city has some responsibility here. This is not the Redskins. The city concentrated poverty in one part of town and now no grocery wants to come here. This area has a large population without cars and since it is not easy or cheap for a mother (or father) to take heir kids along on a bus ride to the grocery store, they end up feeding their families with food from the corner markets. It is a sad but telling irony that a dialysis center is closer for many people than a store with healthy food options. My guess is that long term healthcare cost would be far greater than whatever the city might invest. This would be an example of tax dollars well spent.
A smaller store like Aldi might work there – or even the much discussed Trader Joes might work in that space. I can’t see a large format grocery store fitting in particularly well there, but whatever. There is around 95,000 sq. ft., I think.
I’m sure I’ll catch hell for saying this, but it would be nice to have a decent, clean, 24 hour gas station/convenience store on the Hill. (Wawa/Royal Farms/7-11/Sheetz). Not sure how that would work from a design/curb appeal perspective, though.
Regardless of what gets built there I’m curious to see A) how they maintain good urban design standards B) How they incorporatee a mixed use component C) Who ultimately pays for it/what they squeeze out of the city D) The design/infill/aesthetics-battle-of-opinions-sh*t-show that will inevitably ensue – I bet the developer will propose something totally architecturally inappropriate and the neighborhood/civic association/whoever will make equally inappropriate demands in response.
@#21/East Grace–I could not agree more.
The city could do what other cities have done with planning healthy development–incorporate other mixed use into it, with a mind toward how best to benefit the community.
And not everything built in this town needs to be single-story–the city could get creative.
Perhaps a new library on a second level and the grocery store on the first level.
Slightly off-topic–what’s up with the planned Wal-Mart that was supposed to happen at Nine Mile at Laburnum? Haven’t driven by there in a few months.
As much as I loathe Wal-Mart, I think building one in that part of town (well, Henrico I guess if we are being technical) may actually improve some things for some folks.
@20…spot-on. It’s a tough reality of this business and location/demographics is just about the most important part of the equation. The grocery business is difficult under the best of circumstances. Although I was amazed Southern Season ever planted itself at Libbie Mill. Their target customer is nowhere near Libbie Mill. This should have been in Short Pump, the River Road area or Midlothian. Whoever signed off on that site is likely without a job. Staples Mill area is not ready for anything upscale.
As for 25th and Nine Mile, I wouldn’t bank on any big names entering that market…it’s 15-20 years too soon.
The city should focus their energy of wiping out the projects and removing concentrated poverty from the city. Retail follows roof tops with $$$ to spend. Anything else is just wishful thinking.
Maybe what we need is some version of this –
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/22/the-supermarket-with-free-food.html
@23
“Slightly off-topic–what’s up with the planned Wal-Mart that was supposed to happen at Nine Mile at Laburnum? Haven’t driven by there in a few months.”
Being built as we speak. Yes, this is a good thing for many folks in the area.
Trader Joes. Quality food. Low prices.
So when are we going to hear this news?